At Last
by M.L. Raye
Summary: Set right after the Titan War, Annabeth goes to see Percy, to give him his bday present, but misunderstands when she sees Rachel already there. Percabeth!


Annabeth POV

The night air was cool, we had finally won the battle against the titans. _Percy lived. Percy's alive. _The thought coursed through my head like a broken record. I could not think of anything else. I thought for sure he would die. Finally. We would be okay. Camp would calm down. Everything would be okay.

I was looking for Percy wanting to wish him a happy birthday. I started to walk towards the dining pavilion, with a weak excuse for a cupcake in my hand. No one ever said I was good at cooking.

I had only just started up the steps to the pavilion when I saw the shaggy black hair that could only belong to one person. My face broke out into a huge grin, which suddenly disappeared at the sight of Rachel sitting next to him. Right next to him, with barely any space at all between them. The next thing I knew they had locked lips, her fiercely attacking him.

I dropped the cupcake I was holding and ran off without thought. I ran and ran. Somehow I ended up at the beach. It was the last place I wanted to be, it reminded me of him too much, but I had lost so much strength, though running and seer emotional exhaustion of the last few days. Only then did I noticed that tears had spilled out of my eyes, pouring down my face.

I collapsed into the sand, crying into my own hands. _I should not be acting like this. I am strong. I can handle this. I am a daughter of Athena, I should hate him. _I tried to reason with myself, yet nothing would work. The tears kept coming.

I don't know how long I sat there, but the moon was high when a figure walked up behind me. I shot up, scared it was harpy happy to catch a camper out of bed so late, yet that would have easier to face than who was in front of me then.

"Go away Perseus." I could not ever remember ever using his full name.

"Wise Girl?" He voice was laced with concern. He saw the tracks left on my cheeks. "Hey, everything's gonna be okay. We won, nothing can hurt you now." _Nothing except you. _I felt so stupid for letting myself get so attached to him that something so simple as what I saw could rip me apart like this.

He moved forward to wrap his arms around me in a hug, and pushed him away in fury. "How could you?" I meant it to sound angry. To shout it at him, but my voice was a weak and wavering whisper. He stopped, his arms falling limply to his side, his eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. It only made my heart clench more.

"Huh?" His answer was so characteristically seaweed brainy I would have laughed in any other situation.

"How could you?!" This time my voice was angry, loud. It made him shrink back like a kicked puppy.

"Annabeth?" I was mad, how could he not know what he did. I made my feelings perfectly clear. He knew how I felt about him.

"How could you? How could you play with my emotions like that?! You know how I feel! I kissed you for hades' sake! You led me on, you made me believe maybe we had something!" My face was red with anger. I was being fair, yet I didn't care.

"I wasn't trying to…" He trailed off looking down at his feet.

"Don't pretend you didn't know exactly what you were doing! I saw you! You and Rachel! How long!? How long have you been pretending we have something while all the while you're dating her!" I had gotten up in his face. I had lost control. Never before had I been so angry as I was right then.

"I wasn't pretending!" It was the first time he raised his voice in the entire argument. He picked, and suddenly his lips were on mine, and my brain melted in an instant. My stomach did flips, and my eyes fluttered shut. I wanted to stay there, just like that forever. Then what he did came rushing back in floods. I pushed him down so he landed sitting down in the sand. I stood dumbstruck for a few seconds, but it was enough time for Percy to stand up and take me by the arms so I could run away.

"Rachel, Rachel, I swear it wasn't what it looked like."

"Stop. Get off me, let me go!" Tears started to fall from my eyes once again. I tried to hold them back, yet Niagara spilled over. I struggled against his hands, but he held me tight. I felt so powerless, so broken.

"I swear on the River Styx that I have no romantic feelings for Rachel Elizabeth Dare!" His proclamation got my attention. I stopped struggling and looked into his eyes. I didn't notice the thunder that rumbled, proving that he was truthful. "Please you have to believe me." He pleaded.

I nodded. I believed him, it felt like it was true. I mumbled something though now I can't remember what it was, something along the lines of believing him. "I love you." This time I looked up straight into his eyes, hoping praying he would echo me. He grinned not his careless lopsided grin he had so often, but a huge excited grin.

"I love you. Gods I love you. I've been in love with you for I don't know how long." Percy almost sounded like he was cheering and with that I could no longer take it, but sealed the already small space between us, pulling him into kiss.


End file.
